Scraper



Nov. 5, 1946. R. B. BENNETT S CRAPER Filed Jan. 1, 1944 N V EN TOR. gay/v57."

- BY I Patented Nov. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCRAPER Robert B. Bennett, Detroit, Mich.

Application January 1, 1944, Serial No. 516,690

4 Claims.

This invention relates to scrapers and. more particularly to the type including a coiled replaceable insert scraper member adapted to chiseling engagement with the object scraped, as for instance a utensil.

Although there are on the market numerous aids, such as metal, metal wool, rubber and plastic scrapers, for scraping surfaces such as dishes, pans, painted and other surfaces, they all have one or more major faults which, to offset long soaking of especially the cooking utensils, cause the housewife to resort to using her fingernails to remove the most stubborn particles. Broken fingernails, injured hands and sore fingers often result from this practice which is effective only to a limited degree. The scrapers heretofore available, especially metal wool, often puncture the skin.

To overcome this difiiculty a novel scraper is disclosed herein which will effectively and easily remove obstinate food particles or other matter closely adhering to the surface of dishes or kitchen utensils being washed.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a suitable holder and applicator within which is operatively provisioned and stored in coiled form a continuous strip of flexible relatively stiff material as for instancea plastic or metallic substance.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a scraper feeding throat member forming a part of the coiled scraper holder and projecting therefrom, as a means of manually applyin the scraper insert to the surface of dishes or other kitchen utensils.

It is the object of this invention to make a portion of said throat-member flexible, permitting manual frictional pressure for resisting relative movement of the scraper insert back into the throat member during the scraping operation. It is contemplated that various other means may also be employed for providing such frictional relationship.

It is the further object herein to provide a feeding mouth at the outer end of said throat, of various regular or irregular cross sectional areas for effecting a degree of stiffness to the flexible projecting scraper member, at the same time permitting said scraper to assume various shapes coinciding to the surface or curvature of the object or utensil sought to be scraped, as well as being adapted to frictionally resist receding movement thereof.

It is the object herein to make said mouth portion sufficiently flexible to allow manipulation thereof resulting in a change in shape of the pro- 2 jecting scraper to fit the shape of the utensil. Or on the other hand it may be desired to make said mouth portion stiff enough to assume a predetermined shape for all utensil surfaces, and not requiring manipulation.

It is the still further object herein to provide a coi1 of scraping material within the scraper holder together with means secured to said coil for limiting feeding movement of the portion thereof projecting out from the mouth of the scraper.

Such means secured upon the inner end of the coiled scraper substance, as for instance a bar or cross member, will also facilitate the manufacture of the scraper device in facilitating insertion of the coil within the holder. On the other hand manually operable transversely movable means may be provisionedwithin the throat member for operative frictional engagement direction with the scraping material.

These and, other objects will appear in the following specification and claims. The invention therefore relates to the various arrangements of the elements thereof and their combination as il-- lustrated in the drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the scraper.

Fig. 2 is a right end elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational View of a. different scraper mouth opening.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of a slightly different form.

Fig. 5 is an end elevational View of a still different form.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of another form of mouth opening.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the scraper material.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary View of ascraper edge.

Fig. 9 is a slightly diiferen-t form thereof.

Fig. 10 is a still different form thereof.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of another form of scraper edge.

Fig. 12 is an elevational section of the scraper.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary elevational. view of a handle therefor.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary elevational view of a different form of scraper neck or throat member.

Fig, 15 is a fragmentary elevation of a different form of scraper.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary elevation showing a scraper brake.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectioned View of the same.

It is understood that the above figures illustrate merely preferable embodiments of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated 3 within the scope of said invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawing the scraper holder shown in Figs. 1 and 2 consists of hollow substantially circular shell housing II with elongated throat or neck member I2 forming a part thereof and projecting therefrom, which terminates at its outer end in the mouth I3.

The top and bottom portions of mouth I3 as shown in Fig. 2 is concaved at I4 providing a fric- .tional pressure engagement upon the top and bottom surfaces of flexible plastic scraper member I 5 which projects through said mouth. It is understood that said scraper members, preferably in coiled form, may be made of any other suitable relatively stiif and flexible material. A means is thus afforded for preventing scraper I5 from being pushed back into the throat member I2 when in operative engagement with the substance sought to be removed from the utensil during a washing operation. The constriction in mouth I3 also acts as a stiffener for the portion of scraper member I5 which projects out from the end of throat I2.

With mouth opening I4 arcuate in shape it is understood that the scraper strip I5 comes out therefrom as a cylindrically curved or arcuate sheet which then bends flat as in Figs. 2 and 7 when coming in contact with the surface to be scraped. It is this change in shape of the scraper which results in stiffening of the operative end of the scraper.

The top surface portion of the scraper holder between points I3 and I6 is sufficiently flexible so that finger pressure thereon will also effect a frictional relationship between holder I I-I2 and the flexible scraper member I5 coiled therein at I! and extending through throat I2 as shown in Fig. 12, to further prevent backward movement thereof when used in a scraping operation.

Y Fig. 1 shows the point of contact I8 of flexible scraper member I5, with respect to the dish or utensil surface, while the outer edge I9 is adapted for operative chiseling contact with the material sought to be removed from said surface. The curved under surface at 20 of throat I2 provides gripping means for manually operating the scraper, the recess formed thereby affording sufficient clearance to protect the knuckles of the user when utilizing said scraper.

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 illustrate additional slightly different shapes of mouth I3 through which scraper I5 projects, whereby various degrees of stiffness and curvature of the operating edge I9 may be obtained depending upon the use to which .the scraper is put.

Fig. 7 fragmentarily illustrates scraper member I5 and the stiffening effect obtained therein by curving the same at 2| corresponding to a curved mouth I3 for the scraper throat I2 as shown in Fig. 6. At the same time the portion 22 adapted for sliding engagement with the surface to be scraped is substantially flat with the sharp cornered chiseling edge I9.v

Fig. '7 brings out the additional novel stiffening effect achieved by feeding the strip through a curved opening then pressing it to flatten it against the surface scraped. Great force can thereby be exerted, more than by merely curving the weak flexible strip.

Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 illustrate various shapes which can be made or out in chiseling edge I9 which may be effected by cutting the end of scraper member I5 with a scissors or other suitable means, in order to carry out the particular scraping task contemplated.

Figs. 8 through 11 bring out two other novelties not found in present scrapers, i. e., the possibility of cutting the end to renew the sharp chisel edge, and the cutting of it in endless variety of shapes to fit any shape of utensil encountered.

Fig. 14 fragmentarily illustrates the throat portion I2 of scraper holder II, with its inner and outer surfaces undulated or irregularly curved at 23 providing on the inside thereof a plurality of frictional engaging points for scraper member I5, whereby a relatively high degree of stiffness is attained in scraper I5, as Well as means for aiding in retaining the scraper in operative position. It is contemplated that the upper surface of throat I2 may be thin at point 24, for instance, permitting manual pressure engagement of the inner surface of throat I2 against member I5.

Housing II as in Fig. 12 may have an opening 25 therein for hanging the scraper when not in use. Or on the other hand a secondary handle 26 may be formed extending from scraper housing II oppositely from throat I2 as shown fragmentarily in Fig. 13, having therein opening 2'! for hanging the scraper. Oppositely arranged concaved portions 28 intermediate members 26 and II rovide additional finger gripping means facilitating operation of the scraper.

Point 24 on throat I2 indicates a relatively thin portion which is readily flexible permitting manual frictional engagement thereof with the adjacent area of the scraper strip I5 for obtaining a braking action thereon.

The fragmentary illustration in Fig. 15 shows oppositely disposed openings 29 and 39 formed within housing I I. Access is thus provided to the hollow interior thereof for inserting a coil of scraper material I5, which, rotatably nested therein, may be manually projected outwardly through throat I2 for operative positioning through mouth I3 as shown in Fig. 1. No such openings are provided in the illustration of Fig. 1, so that the coiled sheet of scrapin material I5 must be initially inserted uncoiled through mouth I3 and throat I2, to be nestingly coiled within housing II. In this case the scraper material I5 is outwardly fed from the outer end of the throat. However as shown in Fig. 12 said material may be fed by the fingers through openlugs 29 and 39 within shell housing I I.

Fig. 15 shows a mandrel or handle 3I transversely projected through openings 29 and 39 in housing II, secured on the end 32 of the coiled sheet of scraper material I5. Thus by manual rotary application of mandrel 3I within openings 29 and 39 strip I5 may be pushed or pulled through throat 12 for operative projection through mouth I3 of said holder. Such open structure of housing II not only facilitates loading of the scraper housing, but also permits free access to the interior thereof as an aid in clean- Fig. 16 fragmentarily shows housing II and throat I2 illustrating the manually operable braking means 33, as shown in detail in Fig. 17 projecting through opening 34 in throat I2, with its inner flanged portion 35 adapted to frictionally engage the surface of scraper strip I5, and with itsouter flanged portion 33 providing means for manually effecting braking action to prevent relative movement ofsaid scraper when in use.

The coiled sheet of scraping material provisioned for progressive manual adjustment through the holder mouth thus provides means for effecting a new scraping edge as the same wears from time to time, or otherwise becomes damaged. Many advantages are obvious from this construction and particularly as contrasted with various abrasive substances, such as steel wool, which are adapted to wear down the material or food particles sought to be removed from the utensil. On the other hand the scraper member shown herein actually chisels such substance from the surface of the utensil by a manuall effective sliding action over the surface thereof.

It is understood that the form of scraper shown in the drawing is easily molded; and is assembled in any manner and of any material known to the molding trade to be convenient, efiicient and inexpensive.

The present invention provides a scraper member the operative edge of which may be out easily to fit the shape of the utensil surface scraped; and furthermore may by cutting from time to time be kept sharp.

As shown in Fig. 12, throat i2 is curved as it joins housing ll, providing an arcuate feeding slot. This curvature provides substantial frictional resistance to backward or receding movement of the scraper strip when operative.

Having described my should be had to the claims which follow for determinin the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. A scraper for utensils comprising a hollow container, having oppositely disposed lateral openings therein, a hollow longitudinally pro- J'ected throat member forming a part of said container, a coil of relatively stiff scraper material inserted through said lateral openings, nested within said container, with one end of said coil projecting through said throat member providing beyond the outer end thereof an operative scraper edge, and a manually operable cross member projected through said lateral openings and secured to the inner end of said scraper coil for effecting longitudinal adjustments of said scraper member within said throat member.

2. A scraper for utensil comprising a hollow invention reference container, having oppositely disposed lateral openings therein, a hollow longitudinally projected throat member forming a part of said container, a coil of relatively stiff scraper material inserted through said lateral openings, nested within said container, with one end of said coil projecting through said throat member providing beyond the outer end thereof an operative scraper edge, a manually operable cross member projected through said lateral openings and secured to the inner end of said scraper coil for effecting longitudinal adjustments of said scraper member within said throatmember, and a manually operabletransversely movable member provisioned through the top surface of said throat member for effecting frictional engagement with said scraper member.

3. A scraper for utensils comprising a hollow container, an irregularly shaped slotted longitudinally projected throat member forming a part of said container said irregular shape consisting of a plurality of longitudinal arcuate undulations in the top and bottom of said throat member, and a coil of a relatively stiff scraper material provisioned within said container with one end of said coil projecting through said throat member providing beyond the end thereof an operative scraper edge, the undulations of said throat member providing a plurality of frictional contacts with said material.

4. A scraper for utensils comprising a hollow container, a hollow longitudinally projected throat member forming a part of said container,

and having an arcuately shaped mouth on the .outer end thereof, and a coil of a relatively stiff plastic material provisioned within said container with one end of said coil projecting through said throat and mouth members providing beyond said mouth an operative scraper edge, said mouth defining a corresponding arcuate shape in said material, the outer end of said material being adapted for fiattening upon a surface to be scraped, whereby said arcu'ate portion terminating in said flattened portion will provide a greatly stiffened scraper edge. I

ROBERT B. BENNETT. 

